Means for utilizing tidal force.



No. 655,43l. Patented Aug. 7, I900. P. BOISRAME.

MEANS FOR UTILIZING TIDAL FORCE.

(Application filed Dec. 23, 1899.)

(No Model.)

WET ESEEE I EB E11 I dg g 1H2 uoams PETERS ca. Pnm'ouma. WASNINGTDN. u. c,

INITED STATES PATENT @rmcn.

PAUL BOISRAMF, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

MEANS FOR UTILIZING TIDAL FORCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 5,431, dated August '7, 1900. Application filed December 23, 1899. Se al NO- 741,393. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL BoIsRA E, engineer, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Paris, France, (whose post-office address is No. 8 Rue Dorian, Paris, aforesaid,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Utilizing Tidal Force and the Like Irregular Source of Power, (for which applications for patent have been made in France on May 30, 1899; in Germany on November 27, 1899; in Belgium on November 27, 1899, and in Spain on November 29, 1899,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object an improved combination enabling an irregular fall of water to be in large part converted into a regular fall of water.

The invention is characterized by the combination, with a motor or turbine provided with a float, enabling it to follow the level of the water, of basins or tanks, the gates of which are arranged in such a way that the inlet and outlet of the water take place automatically under the desired conditions.

The invention is more particularly intended toutilize tidal force; but it is evident that it may also be advantageously employed under other circumstances.

In order to more clearly explain the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a section of the installation, with the reservoirs, the floating motor, and its transmitting-gear. Fig. 2 is a section in plan on the line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a detail of construction insuring a tight joint between the motor-shaft and the bottom of the motor; and Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional plan through the turbine and its shaft, showing the sliding connection between the two.

The arrangement which will now be described is made with a view of utilizing tidal force.

The arrangement comprises a tank or basin 1, provided with miter-gates 16 or other suitable valves, arranged in such a way that when the level of the water descends the miter-gates open automatically to allow the water of the basin to be discharged. Another basin or reservoir 2 is situated in the rear of the basin 1, and the bottom of the basin 2 is higher than the bottom of the basin 1, The basin 2 communicates with the exterior by miter-gates 18, arranged in such a way that when the level of the water at the outside is above the level of the water in the basin 2 the water will flow automatically into the said basin. While the two basins are shown as having their bottoms at different levels, this is not necessary to the proper operation of the mechanism, for the same results may be accomplished if the levels of't-he bottoms of the basins are the same. Basin 1 is termed the lower one and basin 2 the upper one, because the water of the accumulating-basin 2 is always at a higher level than that of the receiving-basin 1. The basin 1 is separated from' the basin 2 by a separation-wall 17, which is provided with a comparativelynarrow opening 11, which extends from the top to the bottom of the wall. Behind the opening 11 a recess is formed in the wall for lodging therein the floating motor. This motor is formed by means of a floating and counterbalanced box 3, which is water-tight and empty inside. Beneath the box 3 there is a compartment in which a turbine 4 is located. The bottom of the compartment containing the turbine is formed of a platform 19. The box 3 has a passage 12 running through it, which conveys the water to the turbine, the opening of the said passage 12 being regulated bya valve 13. In its risingand-falling movement the box is guided by its incasement in the wall 17 and by rods 14. The box is sufficiently closely fitted in the wall to prevent the passage of water along its lateral walls, and the quantity of water which passes through these intervals may be considered as unimportant. In order to prevent the water escaping by the opening 11 beneath the platform 19when the floating motor rises, an apron 10 closes the'opening 11 below the floating machine. When the floating machine descends, the apron renters a groove formed in the floor of the basin 1. The turbine 4 transmits its movement of rotation to a vertical shaft 5, the lower art'of which rests in a foot-step or socket 6. In order that the turbine may be able to be vertically displaced along the shaft 5 and impart to it a rotary motion, it is slidingly connected therewith by means of projections on the turbine which engage in grooves formed longitudinally in the shaft 5. In Fig. 3 a detail of construction is shown for insuring a tight joint between the shaft of the turbine and the platform 19. Two hooks 20 are placed at the point where the shaft 5 passes through the platform 19, which hooks enter with slight friction in grooves and are bent in such a way as to engage over the platform and follow it in its movement. Above the closing-hooks a crown 21 in the form of a reversed basin is fixed to the platform.

The shaft 5 transmits its movement of rotation by means of a pinion 7 to a horizontal.

shaft 8, suitably arranged on a platform 9.

The working of the apparatus for the utilization of tidal force is as follows: Supposing the tide to be at its lowest point--that is to say, at zero-as it rises the water reaches the miter-gates 16 of the lower basin 1, which are thus closed by the pressure of the water. The water rises and consequently reaches immediately the miter-doors 16, which are closed by the pressure. The water at the same time enters the upper basin 2, opening by its pressure the miter-gates 18, seeing that these gates are arranged to act in a contrary way to the gates 16. The water immediately surrounds the floating box 3, which occupies its limit position at the bottom of the reservoir 2. This floating-box rises until the basin.

2 is filled, and this is the point when the tide reaches its highest level. The tide cannot remain stationary at its highest level. It will therefore commence to ebb immediately; but the water flows in a contrary direction in descending toward zero and closes the miterdoors 18. As soon as the doors 18 are closed the valve 13 is opened and the floating wheel commences to rotate and continues to do so, because it is sufficiently loaded and regulated to produce this result. It must be noted that the level of the water of the ebb-tide will promptly find itself at the level of the water already discharged in the lower basin 1, because this latter basin will have received a certain quantity of water discharged by the motor; but when these two levels are the same the gates 16 are no longer subjected to the external press ure,.and they will therefore open under the internal pressure of the basin 1, which is entirely discharged. When the basin 1 is entirely empty, the tide has again descended to zero and will immediately commence to How again. It must not be forgotten that the motor-wheel is in movement and that the water from the reservoir 2 alwaysv falls into the reservoir 1, passing through the water, which is its sole opening for escape.

The operation hereinbefore described is repeatedthat is to say, the flowing tide closes the doors 16, reaches the doors 18, opens them, and refills the basin 2, and by this fact the 'motor float-box rises, moving out of the plane of the water in. the basin 1, which it-was almost ready to reach and which it can only again approach by effecting a fresh downward movement. Thus the motorfioat will operate continuously day and night, and the parts composing it and the quantities of water to be utilized are quite definite] y prescribed.

It will be readily understood that modifications may be introduced in the details of construction of the installation in order to suit it to special cases without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention, which appears from the description hereinbefore given.

I claim as my invention 1. In a mechanism for utilizing tidal force, the combination of an outer reservoir, an in ner reservoir, means for controlling the admission only of water to the inner reservoir, means for controlling the discharge only of water from the outer reservoir, a balancefloat situated in the inner reservoir and movable vertically, a motor apparatus sustained by the float and movable vertically with it, a vertical rotary shaft on which the motor apparatus is slidingly mounted to revolve with r paratus is slidingly mounted to revolve there a with.

3. In a mechanism for utilizing tidal force, the combination with the two reservoirs formed with a vertical communicating opening, of a float provided with a passage in con nection with said opening,- a motor apparatus situated in said passage, and an apron carried by the float and extending below the dis= charge end of the passage, in position to close the communicating opening below the discharge end of the passage.

at. In a device for utilizing tidal force, the combination of two reservoirs, a float provided with a passage constituting a connection between them and formed with a bottom having a circular opening, a shaft extending loosely but snugly through said opening and formed with a longitudinal groove, a key extending in the groove and formed at its ends with lateral projections, and a cap secured to the bottom and closely surrounding the like irregular source of .power, comprising 5 two basins-having their bottoms arranged at s different levels, a barrage-wall separating one basin from the other and having a narrow Vertical opening permitting a fall or flow of water from the high-level basin to the lowlevel basin, a turbine or motor interposed in the course of said fall or flow and adapted to be operated thereby, a buoyant support for said motor adapted to cause the motor to shift its position vertically as the level varies in the high-level basin, a sliding apron adapted to prevent flow of water through that portion of the vertical opening in the barrage which lies below the floating motor, and

means for permitting inflow from the exterior to the high-level basin and outflow to the 15 exterior from the low-level basin while preventing return flow in each case; in c0mbination, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 8th day of December, 1899, in 20 Witnesses:

AUGUSTE FOURNOL, VICTOR DE MARENnowsKI. 

